This invention relates generally to clamp-type mounting devices for use in securely supporting fragile medical instruments and the like with respect to a conveniently available support surface or structure. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved clamp fixture adapted for stable connection to a variety of different support structures, in combination with a versatile adjustment capability to permit a medical instrument or the like to be supported in a selected orientation chosen for optimum visibility, access, etc.
In the medical arts, a wide variety of relatively sophisticated medical instruments including electronic devices and the like are available and are used frequently in the course of patient treatment. For example, in a hospital or medical clinic environment, a variety of electronic instruments may be required to monitor selected parameters indicative of patient condition, or to deliver selected fluids to the patient in accordance with a prescribed time schedule, or to perform a variety of other important functions in the course of patient diagnosis or treatment. When use of such devices is desired or required, the appropriate instrument is normally transported from a storage site to the patient location, such as patient bedside in a hospital, and is there appropriately coupled to or otherwise operated in conjunction with the patient to perform the desired functions. Importantly, in recent years, advances in the electronic arts particularly with respect to solid state technology have permitted many such medical instruments to be constructed with a relatively small, preferably hand-held size for optimum portability and minimum obstruction of a patient bedside location or the like.
The relatively small size of many modern electronic medical instruments and the like necessitates the use of some type of clamping or locking device to prevent the instrument from being knocked about or otherwise inadvertently moved during instrument operation. With such clamping or locking device, the instrument can be retained in the desired close proximity with the patient in a manner minimizing risk of disrupting electrical or fluid flow lines coupled between the instrument and the patient. In addition, the clamping or locking device functions to retain the instrument in a predetermined orientation which may be required for proper instrument operation, or for easy viewing of parameters displayed by the instrument, or for facilitated adjustment of instrument controls, etc.
In the past, clamping or locking devices used to support relatively small medical instruments and the like have generally been designed to lock onto a specific type of support structure. For example, many spring-loaded and screw-down type clamps have been proposed for securely locking onto a vertically oriented pole of the type used commonly to support intravenous (IV) fluid infusion equipment. Other types of clamps have been designed to lock onto other specific surfaces, such as the edge of a horizontally oriented tabletop. However, these prior clamp devices generally have not provided satisfactory instrument anchoring or proper instrument orientation when the clamp device is locked onto an alternative support structure which differs from the one for which it was specifically designed. Accordingly, hospitals and the like have been required to obtain different types of clamping devices designed to lock onto different support structures, or, alternately, to provide the same type of support structure such as an upright IV pole each time the particular instrument is used.
There exists, therefore, a significant need for an improved clamping device for use in securely supporting and orienting a medical instrument or the like, wherein the clamping device is adapted to lock securely onto a variety of different support structures commonly present in a medical environment, and to permit the orientation of a supported medical instrument to be adjusted as desired to a selected position. The present invention fulfills these needs, and provides further related advantages.